No one expects the rest of the world to make it easy on Michael Phelps to win seven or more golds in Athens, but his fellow Americans have no plans to give him a free pass either.
Ian Crocker managed to upstage Phelps at least temporarily in the 100-meter butterfly at the Trials and is the U.S. swimmer most likely to interfere with Phelps' plans of a gold-medal sweep.
Crocker, who at the 2003 World Championships became the first to swim under 51 seconds in the 100 fly, breaking Phelps' world record and beating him in the process, bettered his record to 50.79 at the Trials. "I promise" to improve it even more in Athens, Crocker said after his latest world-record swim.
"I really wanted to get the world record (at the Trials) to set myself up for the next four weeks mentally," said Crocker, 21. "I wanted to give myself some confidence going into Athens, and I think that's what I did."
He might not be the World's Greatest Swimmer which at least on this side of the world is the moniker bestowed on Phelps but as a specialist he is so devastating that Phelps has mounted Crocker's picture in his bedroom as motivation.
Crocker just concluded a sparkling career at Texas, where he was a 10-time NCAA champion and the 2003 NCAA Swimmer of the Year under Longhorns and Olympic coach Eddie Reese.
At worlds, Crocker's gold medal in the 100 fly put him in the 400 medley relay. The next night Crocker, Texas teammates Aaron Piersol and Brendan Hansen and good friend Jason Lezak shattered the world record by nearly two seconds, sending an early message that the U.S. team is about more than Phelps.
Crocker also earned gold in the 400 medley relay in Sydney, and he likely will have the chance to help the Americans defend. He is ranked No. 8 in the world in the 100 freestyle and will try to medal in that event.
BACK IN BUSINESS: After Phelps opted not to compete in the 200 backstroke despite qualifying second at the Trials, Piersol got two events practically to himself.
Piersol won gold in the 100 and 200 back at the 2003 worlds and is ranked No. 1 in both entering the Olympics. He was the first to knock off Phelps at the Trials, lowering his world record in the process.
His biggest obstacle might be teammate Lenny Krayzelburg, who did in Sydney what Piersol will attempt in Athens: He won gold in both backstrokes and the 400 medley relay. Krayzelburg's only event in these Games is the 100 back. He is ranked third in the world.
DID YOU KNOW?: The U.S. men never had lost a 400 free relay final at the Olympics until Sydney, when Ian Thorpe outtouched Gary Hall to give the Australians the gold medal in front of their home crowd. The rematch will take place on Day 2 in Athens.
[Last modified August 8, 2004, 08:44:23]
